Little Stars Classroom (Ages 2-3) 

“I Want To Do It Myself”

The Little Stars classroom is where our youngest students reside. A big part of being a toddler involves learning to care for oneself, and the teachers at this level emphasize independence, assisting the toddlers in learning to dress, wash their hands and faces, use the toilet, and keep track of their personal belongings. All of these practical life skills are important components of our Little Stars curriculum.

The first thing I hear when I walk up to the classroom is singing. A child is sitting by the restroom singing as he waits his turn to wash his hands before snack time. Another is deeply concentrating on putting her foot into her slipper, which she has removed before stepping on the balance cubes.     

Little Stars Classroom (Ages 2-3)

The practical life area is full of activity—three little children are scooping, pouring, and sorting items according to color and shape. I observe two little girls reading a book and laughing out loud as they find a little felt worm on one of the pages. It is abundantly clear that these students are in the sensitive period for small objects and details. 

Montessori identified eleven different sensitive periods occurring from birth through the age of six: order, movement, small objects, grace and courtesy, refinement of the senses, writing, reading, language, spatial relationships, music, and mathematics.

Preschool—Kindergarten (Ages 3-6)

“Help Me Help Myself”

Whenever I peek into the Sun and Moon Rooms, the children wave and greet me cheerfully. A little girl steps up and hugs my leg, others come up to tell or show me what they are working on.

Love is in the air! For the month of February, the students in our Children's Peace Garden have been learning about love, honesty, and colors. Secret Valentine projects for parents are underway. A healthy snack prepared by the teachers is available. 

As there are three age groups in the rooms, a variety of activities are going on at the same time. On any typical day in a Montessori classroom, you will find children working on a floor rug or at the table, and today is no different! I see that a child has laid out a three-part picture and nomenclature cards for the frog, matching them to physical models for each stage, while another is using a magnifying glass to examine objects that the students have discovered in nature. 
 

Preschool—Kindergarten (Ages 3-6)

In the math area, someone is working on the Hundred Board lesson, arranging number tiles from one to one hundred into a lined grid. A younger child works with Cards and Counters, laying out quantities to match numerals and identifying odd and even numbers. At a table nearby, a child uses the Stamp Game to multiply a number in the thousands, using dynamic regrouping skills in the process and recording his answer on paper. 

A staple material and one often recognized as “Montessori” are the sensorial materials such as the pink tower or brown stairs. I spot a child working to construct patterns and forms using the Pink Tower and Brown Stair, as he forms a strong sense of dimension, spatial relations, and patterns.

Preschool—Kindergarten (Ages 3-6)

Lower Elementary (Ages 6-9)

"Help Me Think for Myself"

I walk upstairs to the second floor, where the Lower Elementary classrooms are located. The main classroom hosts most of the cultural and language materials, while across the hallway, you find the library and math area. I meet and greet students that are moving freely between the rooms. A first grader proudly shows me the birthday board with his baby pictures and gives me a summary of what kind of things his friends said about him during the birthday celebration. 

Lower Elementary (Ages 6-9)

The elementary-aged child is a highly social individual with a strong imagination, eager to explore their world and the human experience within it.

Lower Elementary (Ages 6-9)

Students are able to work either on the floor or at tables depending on their chosen work and their preferred mode of learning. They set their work up in a manner that feels comfortable for them, and the hands-on nature of the language materials makes even advanced grammar concepts approachable and enjoyable.

It is incredible how peaceful it can be in this classroom. Although the Arbor is our largest class at 35 students, all children are intently focused on what they need to do for a given lesson. What’s even more amazing is how evident it is that they are happy doing it!

I observe students progressing at their own pace, using control of error and teacher feedback to guide their work. Control of Error is the quality within the materials that enables a child to complete and correct the task without assistance.

Lower Elementary (Ages 6-9)

The Cosmic Curriculum, a cornerstone of Montessori philosophy, gives students a concept of their place in and impact on their community and the world.

Lessons start with the whole (i.e., the universe) and work toward the parts (i.e., cultures, history, geography, species, etc.). This gives the child a sense of perspective—within the big picture of the universe, everything the child learns is connected. When understood as connected parts of a whole, new information gains relevance, an essential part of capturing a child’s interest.

Math, language, geometry, geography, history, science, and literature are just a few subject areas covered in the "Five Great Lessons" of this curriculum. These standard Montessori lessons provide a “Big Picture” to demonstrate how the sciences, art, history, language, and geography are interrelated.

Upper Elementary (Ages 9-12)

"Help Me Help Others"

My journey around the building takes me back downstairs to the Academy class. Inspired by the Montessori tradition, the teachers give students ample opportunities to explore, gain knowledge, and demonstrate a thorough understanding of their learning. 

I notice that each student is working independently but responsibly.  A student in between work is observing a classmate getting a lesson. At the big round table, a group of students is engaged in a lively discussion regarding concepts of climate change. Meanwhile, another student is immersed in a novel, seemingly unaware of the activities around him.
 

Upper Elementary (Ages 9-12)

I am impressed with the students' drive to work through a lesson, equation, or research question; it is intrinsically motivated, not teacher-driven.

The students are given guiding questions, and then they are free to explore and research questions such as “How did the natural features of Earth develop over time?”, “How does physical geography affect living things?” and “What are the needs common to all people?” 

One of the students excitedly explains that this year, as part of their studies of early humans, the Academy class will venture into the woods to practice early-human-style survival skills such as shelter building and food gathering. This trip is designed both to stimulate their imagination about the adaptations of early human species, as well as to learn how best to cooperate and communicate to accomplish a goal in a group.
 

Middle School (Ages 12-15)  

"Help Me Find Myself"

I make my way to the middle school classroom. I cannot stop smiling as I bump into students I have known since they were toddlers in our Little Stars program. It is heartwarming to see how they have grown into independent, compassionate, and curious young adolescents.

When you walk into the middle school classroom, you will see students working together with friends or by themselves on assignments from their weekly Natural World/ Social World/ Language checklists. The students are free to sit at tables, on the bleachers, or in the hallway to complete their work. There is a general hum of students discussing, laughing, and getting work done. 
 

Middle School (Ages 12-15)

Our middle school is characterized by a student-centered approach that enables students to manage time, exercise choice, organize themselves and practice self-regulation within the classroom.

Group work gives students the opportunity to engage in process skills critical for processing information and evaluating and solving problems, as well as leadership skills through the use of roles within groups, and assessment tools involved in weighing options to make decisions about their group's final answer.

Thank you for joining me on this walk through our Montessori classrooms! I hope this tour has given you an idea of how the Montessori philosophy is practiced in each classroom and each facet of our curriculum. We welcome you to visit the school for a tour and learn more!

- Bodil Eriksson

Director of Curriculum & Primary Programs